X-ray apparatus for making panoramic radiograms and individual images therefrom is disclosed in DE 3 545 509 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,881) and DE 3 545 493 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,060). Digital X-ray images for panoramic radiograms and cephalometric images are disclosed in EP 0 632 994 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,106). The production of digital intraoral images using an intraoral sensor is disclosed in EP 0 643 901 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,252). The features disclosed in these documents are incorporated in this application by reference.
Many diagnostic methods refer to individual details such as individual teeth, of which the existence, shape, and position differ individually. Diagnostics and documentation are hampered by the fact that the users are forced, when performing further actions, to resort not to individual but to general diagrams such as the standard tooth scheme on the health insurance certificate.
When making automated series of radiograms is it necessary to previously inform the operating program as to which teeth are to be inspected.
The solution to this problem is at present either inadequate or complicated since it is only possibly to select either entire conventional fixed groups of teeth or only individual teeth. In all cases the contact with reality is lost, since the user must leave his usual environment, eg, a real dentition radiogram.
Panoramic radiograms serve the purpose of quickly providing an overview of the general condition of the dentition. Such images can provide information without the need for other, eg, intraoral, X-ray images. However, these findings refer not to the entire image but to a specific displayed object, eg, a certain tooth. This thus gives rise to several findings referring to one image and to which, for example, the individual teeth are assigned. Acquisition thereof is complicated, because as a rule the user no longer has direct contact with his accustomed environment of a panoramic image.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an individual tooth scheme and to assign information thereto.